


Infernum

by nocturneworld6



Series: Divinum [1]
Category: Diabolik Lovers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Army, Captivity, F/M, Intrigue, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, ayato is the sadistic mofo, expect very violent bite scenes and some non-con, he's more like the hdb game, this is gonna be a bit darker than i usually do, we do not have swift romances here, yui slowly becomes masochistic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:00:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26026120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nocturneworld6/pseuds/nocturneworld6
Summary: She was Eve. Her sole purpose was to be pure.He was the Dark Prince. His sole purpose was to corrupt.Sakamaki Ayato attacked the garden of Eden, not knowing that it would spell his destruction as he commits the worst crime imaginable: tainting the Eve of Eden.
Relationships: Komori Yui/Sakamaki Ayato
Series: Divinum [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1889119
Comments: 23
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! This little story was inspired by the Haunted Dark Bridal game. I liked the earlier versions of Ayato in HDB and MB, so I decided to give him that sadistic edge with his soft descent to his mad love for Yui. This is going to be a bit brutal, with frequent violence and smut. Enjoy!

The weak perished easily.

She knew this much, ever since she had known the warmth of the sun. She’d only known the garden ever since she was born. The huge tree in the middle stood imposing against the backdrop of the temple, its golden leaves fluttering restlessly with the wind. Every season, it resisted the fall, its foliage shining against the light of the dawn. She looked down at the rose bushes that were trying to flourish by its side, and felt the eyes of a priestess look down on her in a gesture of pity. “The tree will not allow anything else to survive while it lives, Eve.”

Her eyes looked up from the crown of golden leaves resting over her eyebrows. “But… why?”

The priestess had a tinge of sadness in her voice. “Because that is the Law of Nature.”

She was the Eve of Eden. She was meant for the greater good of mankind. She wasn’t meant to mourn the loss of a shrub that managed to grow beneath the shade of the Tree of the World. Her robes flew freely with the wind, as she tried to hold them together, bunching the sleeves of her cape in between her fingers. The familiar shame of someone seeing her skin crept up inside her heart, as she got up from her bench, keeping her mandatory distance from the priestess. “The wind is picking up.”

The priestess hummed in approval, as she held out an umbrella to shade her from the sun. “There is unrest in the world outside, my Eve. The lord is punishing us for their crimes. He sends his wrath in the form of plagues-”

“Priestess Amaya,” the Eve asked, her voice almost a whisper, “Who are the Outsiders?”

The Eve had been taught to avoid many questions. Questions about the outside were a taboo subject inside the walls of Eden. Her mouth dropped, before she pressed her lips into a thin line, revolted that this Eve was still immature enough about her role. “We do not need to know about them.”

The Eve hung her head in sorrow, knowing she had crossed a line. She shouldn’t have asked such a frivolous question. Of course, the priests and priestesses warned about the dangerous men outside the gates of Eden, but Eve had seen no more than the kind men who engaged in a peaceful discourse with the lord Seiji. The only harsh behaviour she had encountered from the Outsiders was whenever they tried to ask the lord of his past, or about the Eve. It was common knowledge not to encroach upon such territory, but it was people’s nature to forget boundaries from time to time.

“I am sorry, priestess.” She refused to make eye contact with the woman, knowing she would only be glared down at if she asked about anything else. She was not supposed to know much. Only that which was valuable was presented to her as information.

“Let us go back into the castle, Eve,” the priestess said, smiling a bit. “The winds mean trouble.”

Eve smiled at her, and raised her head towards the woman. “All right.”

* * *

The sword swung high above the captain’s head. He effortlessly delivered a sharp blow at the commander riding before him, knocking him down from his horse. The lieutenant took care of the rest, his sword digging into the man’s chest, making a huge gaping hole into it. His intestines flew about as the lieutenant slashed through his sword once again, garnering a laugh from the captain. He barked at the ones behind him, “Let’s get it over with, boys, Fuck them really good in the ass!”

The rookies laughed with him as he parried with the second in command of the rival army. His red hair peeked through his helmet, his bright green eyes glaring at his enemies through the shield, instilling an unspeakable fear inside them. The captain was known to be unforgiving to those who stood up against him, and this time it wasn’t so different. The army men cried, begged and bargained, but the captain didn’t care much. The only thing he knew about was swinging his blade and feeling warm blood on his cold, dead body.

“Oi, you,” he halted his horse, as the remaining enemy troops slowly backed into the sole formation they had been taught. He addressed his second in command, pointing his sword at the sky. “Finish this quick, we need to march towards Eden next.”

“Captain Ayato,” the third in command shouted, her cape fluttering in the wind. “But we need to contact Prince Reiji first!”

The captain raised his head, slowly landing his gaze upon the soldier. He could hear her armour tremble as she shuddered under his glare. Nobody questioned him. Those who did, had a dark fate in front of them.

Sakamaki Ayato was never forgave those who went against him.

He skewered the third in command, her armour doing little to block his hardened steel from penetrating her chest.

And he always acted on his own command.

Whistling against the wind, he looked at the battlefield, blood and bodies scattered around his army, every remaining enemy now either on their knees or disembowelled, or perhaps being a victim of manslaughter, getting their limbs torn apart by furious warriors who were just way too hyped on the battle to leave any survivors. Ayato liked it this way. He’d won the numerous battles in his past just because the rivals were scared out of their wits to face him head on in the battlefield. He was known to be ruthless. Laws of War for him were merely kill or get killed. No amount of surrendering, bargaining or praying for mercy would save his rivals from an imminent death. He licked the warm blood that landed upon his forearm, relishing the taste for a moment. The people of Eden were delicious.

Now only if he could march to the castle soon enough. The sky reddened with the forthcoming dusk, as people started to lug the bodies out. Some undead were splitting open the warriors of Eden and drinking from them while on the battlefield. Some female warriors were spared, though. Ayato allowed his men to treat them as spoils of war. He smiled sadistically as he raised his face shield, his green eyes intimidating his soldiers at the very first glance he spared them. He knew that he evoked only fear from them, not respect. And he liked it that way. Some men and women that were unfortunately human had known his hunger for blood first-hand. Just as he wished. There was no use garnering respect from such dimwits when they were already plotting to take away his power and position. The undead and the mortals were similar in that respect at least.

His motto to maintain order in an army full of vampires and humans was simple. If the undead hurt the humans, he would kill them without hesitation. Ayato was a pure-blood, meaning his heightened senses could detect from a crowd of thousands who had been in the vicinity of which human. Some humans had even started rumours that he could predict future events. He wasn’t going to negate anything said about him though. Whatever was circulating about him, good or bad, was essential to maintain fear amongst his people.

It was his mission to corrupt people.

“At midnight we march for the castle of Eden!” he raised his sword high into the air. “Take plenty of rest while you can. We will tear down the walls of that eyesore at dawn!”

Cheers resounded throughout the battlefield. The dwellers of Makai, the demon world, hated Eden with all their heart. The campaign Reiji had started against the clergy of Eden was instilling feelings of distrust towards the Holy See of the Eden. The greatest issue at the centre of the debate was about the castle’s tall walls, and why so few of the Outsiders were allowed in. The demons felt discriminated against. They were used to being in power outside of Eden, but with the technological advancements inside the walls and the rumours of supposedly “pure” human beings dwelling there were raising eyebrows. Not to mention, most of the vampire hunters his brother Laito’s guild had spied on had some relations with the castle of Eden in one way or the other.

He felt a soldier come forward towards his horse, extending his hand towards him. “It’s already dusk.”

Ayato removed his helmet, latching it on to his back as he accepted the warrior’s hand, climbing down the horse. The soldier sighed and pulled out his own helmet, wispy ivory hair hanging down to his shoulders as he settled his brilliant pink eyes upon his brother. “You’re being too ambitious today.”

“I’ve always been ambitious.” Ayato rubbed his horse’s snout, and slapped his brother’s hand who tried to pet his horse.

“Oi! You allow me to touch Raijin as well!” his younger brother acted just like he always did. Demanding and aggressive. “You stole him from me when your horse got killed.”

“This is mine, and mine alone, understood?” Ayato boomed at his younger brother. “Subaru, I asked you something.”

Subaru sighed, “Tch. Fuck you and your silly horse, you sick freak.”

There were only five people who were allowed to call Ayato names like that. Even then it took Ayato all his strength not to kill them in their sleep.

“Go cry to your insane mother, you bipolar maniac.” Ayato shouted at him.

“I will destroy you, you possessive bastard!” Subaru chased after him as Ayato flung his sword aside, playfully saying “I yield, I yield!”

They’d grown up separate due to their mothers being on loggerheads with each other, but ever since they got mysteriously “killed”, every brother in their household had had some moments of bonding with each other. Shu and Reiji were still working out with their issues, since they had been at the worst receiving end of the abuse. Ayato and Subaru didn’t gel well together because of their similar aggressive personalities, but since they had started to go on campaigns and battles together, they grew on to each other. It was kind of inevitable. No matter how much they had hated each other’s guts, once they were subjected to the violence of the battle, they mellowed down, accepting each other as allies.

Subaru pinned Ayato down, his chainmail swinging violently as he landed fake punches at him.

“Hit like a man!” Ayat complained.

“I can’t,” Subaru said, giggling like an idiot. “You have a castle to take down during the night.”

Ayato smiled at him, loving the anticipation of blood and gore. The pure citizens inside the walls, tarnished by him. “That is what I’m looking forward to, brother.”

* * *

She wasn’t called Eve before she came to the castle.

Her name was Komori Yui, a child abandoned in the middle of a busy street, a strange heart condition that made her unfit for adoption. By sheer luck, she was determined to be born under the solar eclipse, the day the previous Eve died. The people outside the walls of Eden didn’t know what purpose the Eve served, and why they all died at such a young age. During Eden’s long and varied history, there had been twenty six Eves before her, making her the twenty seventh. All of them had died mysteriously at very young ages. Usually around the age of nineteen to twenty two. Nobody dared to question the clergy residing inside the castle of Eden. Nobody cared. As long as they were safe… There was little that bothered the common folk.

She needed to prepare for bed, so she stepped into the bathing room, her fresh set of clothes kept carefully folded on a stone shelf, to be used only once before being thrown away. She had to be pure at all times, for the sake of her God.

She began her nightly ritual of undressing. She took off two long sleeved capes that fell over her shoulders, ivory white. Then came off her flared skirt. Then she removed a long tunic whose sleeves reached past her elbows. Finally, she removed rolls upon rolls of white bandages that covered every inch of her exposed skin. Over her chest, her ribs, her stomach, her arms and legs, anything that could be bound up in white silky ribbons was constrained in a desperate effort to save her skin from the sight of people. She didn’t know what purpose they served, but knew very well that they were important and never asked anybody about them. She had been taught well enough about her own self as much as she wanted to know, but any information about the outside was restricted for her. Her ears stung as she removed the hoops of gold rings from her piercings. Pain was imminent. Pain purified her soul. Pain had been taught to be endured.

Sighing to herself, she dipped her toes into the warm bath, the stone tiles pinching into her delicate skin. One little misstep and she would be flailing in the water. She tried to be careful of the hot sting the warm water gave her sensitive skin as she picked up the pumice beside her and started scrubbing.

Cleaning her body had little to do with hygiene and more to do with purification. Her spirituality needed to remain intact, and one way of achieving it was wearing her skin raw and stinging from the abrasion. Sometimes, she developed raw and bloodied skin in the past because she didn’t know how hard to rub, but with practice, she learned to avoid being cut by the harsh stone. She made sure not to leave any place untouched, knowing it was absolutely necessary to remain pure, but her mind kept hovering over the uncertainty. Why? Why was it necessary?

She lathered herself herself with a soft bar of soap, relishing the soothing sensation as it slipped over her skin, comforting the abraded skin. She didn’t admire herself too much in the bath, she didn’t have the luxury of vanity. Even the mirror in her sleeping chambers was covered all day unless she had to comb her hair or had to get ready for some important ritual. Her hand grabbed the blade tenderly as she shaved off the fuzz of hair on her entire body. Finishing up, she placed the blade back, letting her hair down into the bath, her golden locks soaking up the soap water.

Her mind flitted between scenarios, wondering what the people outside might be like. She had been taught to avoid thinking about them, but couldn’t help herself being occupied with such unnecessary thoughts while doing mundane things. Why did everybody vilify the outsiders so much? How bad could they be in the end? There was little they could do against the church and the temple; the clergy was supreme according to the lord. The only one who could actually hurt them was the king and his army, yet even they were respectful of leaving the church alone.

Then who were these other people she never got to see inside the walls?

She quickly finished up bathing, wrapping her throbbing, raw skin into a soft towel, wringing her hair out and wiping the water off her body. Her hands searched for the ribbons in the dark, rolling them onto her skin, her body itching even with the soft fabric. Next came the undershirts. She slipped over her tunic and her flared skirt, and finally her cape, knotting it up against her solar plexus.

Her hands wrung out her hair out of the towel, throwing it again into the bin that disposed off her used clothes. She felt around the shelf to find her rosary, her fingers running through the ivory beads, her lips moving into a silent prayer, as she exited outside the bathing room. Her room was not far, as she only had to cross a corridor to get there. Her steps were heavy as she felt the atmosphere around her change, becoming dense and thick, filled with tension. Behind the walls, she could see a faint trail of smoke, and her senses alerted her of the beating of thousands of hooves. An army? At this hour? For what, the blessing of her lord? This couldn’t be true.

One of the sages noticed her loitering in the corridor, her pace slowed by concern for the commotion outside. “Eve, must you be looking around the castle at this ungodly hour?”

She bowed to greet the sage. “I understand, honourable sage, but is it true that I hear an army approaching our Eden?”

The sage raised his bald head to look across the garden at the now billowing smoke and the earth shattering sound of hooves. His eyes widened, as he motioned for her to proceed. “We need to get you someplace safe. Rest assured, my Eve, our army will take care of it.”

She felt a bit unsettled, but reused to taint her mind further with worry. “All right.”

She rushed into her chambers, and as she closed the door and latched the lock, she could hear the barbaric cries of the army outside, shouts and cries already coming close to the gates. She whispered a prayer as she grabbed her rosary close, her body shaking with fear.

What was this feeling, growing steadily in her heart?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning for violence and sexual assault.

The army of Makai was sure taking care of the invasion. Frontline warriors were stationed in front of the huge gates, logs beating up the thick gates to set their hinges free. Creaks of ancient iron emanated from the gates, as though already moaning the loss of the castle’s confines. Once, twice, thrice, until the log bearers dropped it hard upon the ground, accepting defeat.

Subaru looked at the foot soldiers in shock.

“Commander Subaru,” the slave girl came towards him, her hair swept across her forehead and sweat sticking to her face beneath the face shield. “We tried to scale up the wall but there are spikes and shattered glass along the topmost part. We would damage our armour if we climb further.”

“Why do you even need armour?” Subaru looked over at the exhausted soldiers. “There’s only old nuns and monks in there. What do you really need to defend yourself from?”

Well, technically he was right, but he was reminded very quick that armour wasn’t cheap. Most soldiers had brought their own because of the fact that the vampire king refused to be associated with colonialist armies. Also because he maybe had a soft spot for humans around Eden. With free living population dwindling across the globe, most free folk being captured to be bred and sold to royal families as blood slaves, the meagre population of the city of Eden was perhaps too precious to his father. “Forget what I just said. I’m tired.”

“Do you, perchance, require a feeding, my lord?” the slave looked at Subaru, perhaps because of his open mouth and his fangs poking out. He knew it was a polite greeting taught to slaves ever since they were pulled out of their mother’s womb. _Good morning, dear sir. Good evening, fair lady. Have you had a feeding yet, honourable sir?_

Subaru shook his head. “Go ask Ayato instead.”

The slave girl removed her helmet from her back, wearing it back over her head. “I shall ask him if he wants noble blood this time.”

There were only sixteen noble humans in the army, and he knew where the seventeenth went after Ayato was done with him. “Don’t. Tell him we’ve run out of noble blood.”

The slave girl nodded, and skirted out of the field, her little red cape fluttering in the wind as she went about.

“Silly humans.”

The log bearers started to gather again, picking up the logs and banging ruthlessly on the gates. Subaru could see a glimmer in the dark as the first arrow sliced through the night, leaving a trail of red embers in its wake. It landed very close to where his horse was, and the beast started panicking, crying out in distress. He motioned by the flourish of his arm for the cavalry to stay back, as the arrows started raining over them. He could see the top of the watch tower being lit up with red fire as they brought upon showers of arrows meant to simulate hellfire. Most demons in his army were accustomed to this, but the human folk were not.

One such person stood by him, his horse beyond peace as he tried to gather his wits himself. “Why aren’t we defending, my lord?”

“Because there is nothing to defend from right now,” Subaru’s magenta eyes cut through the darkness. “They are using the same intimidation tactics we faced from their ancestors several years ago.”

It was true, the arrows held no power against the army of the undead. They disintegrated upon touching the ground, there was little they would do to harm his people.

When the blazing arrows did nothing to halt the army, it was time.

The log bearers picked up once again, now cheering with the support of the cavalry and infantry, slowly knocking off the hinges of the gates. It was a painful process, to say the least, as the iron groaned against the advances, but there was a spark that emitted from the right hinge of the gates, that pulled free, landing on the ground with a sudden thud, knocking up a dust cloud as the infantry marched in, the premises already evacuated, everybody now locked up in towers and the castle walls.

Getting into the castle was an easy task for Subaru, as he knew that the people who would only reinforce walls and build no defences were the least credible people when it came to security inside the premises.

Raijin came to stand beside Subaru’s horse, neighing loudly as both of them kicked off simultaneously, Ayato already panting with anticipation. Subaru spared a glance at his half-brother, and as excited he was for this whole charade, he didn’t understand the reason why Ayato had launched this sudden attack in the middle of their expedition.

“Keep your eyes ahead,” Ayato warned him as they both stormed into the Garden of Eden, the Tree of the World shining even in the dim moonlight with an ethereal glow. Subaru halted his horse while Ayato kept on racing towards the castle, possessed by some unknown force, maybe it was his obsessive tendency. Subaru felt a shockwave rip through his chest as he looked back at the Tree, golden fruits hanging down from its branches, slowly rotting away, the leaves falling and rolling up in the dirt.

“What on earth is happening?”

* * *

The moment that inevitable blast resounded throughout the castle, Yui sealed up her doors, with her most trusted maiden of the shrine inside her chambers, both of them trembling with horror while the army marched in.

Miro was a chirpy girl of nineteen, a few years senior to the Eve, but she was utterly devoted to her duties, and spent most of her time engaging in discourses with the Eve. On ordinary days, they would be discussing about the little experiments they did in the garden, with sweet peas and magnolias, cross hatching them with one another, the yellow and round peas starting to raise different theories about the way the plants inherited their parents’ features. They had already spent an odd nine years on this little exercise, and passion was now an understated word for their interest.

But this was no ordinary day. Miro’s face was already streaked with tears, as she latched up the last of the seventeen locks in the door. The advantage of staying in Yui’s chambers was that the doors were pretty thick. Even if the army broke down the doors, Yui had a slight sliver of hope that by that time, reinforcements would reach from the king, saving them. It bothered her that nobody else was allowed to enter her room, but that was the way it was. She was Eve, and there was no way they would let her get polluted by someone else’s touch. Even at this moment, her life was being valued over everyone else’s.

“I heard Abbot Marcus saying that the army lost at dusk, which is why they came here.” Miro was running in circles, her habit to pace around overcoming her during stress.

“This isn’t true,” Yui said, her voice hitched inside her throat.

“I swear, this time they really lost!” Miro sat down on the floor, not wanting to stain the Eve’s bed with her presence. Yui didn’t bother telling her to sit back on the bed because it would kick off another argument.

“But why are… these people attacking us? In Eden, of all places?” Yui enunciated, knowing well that attacking a religious place wasn’t going to be the most profitable idea for whoever decided on it.

Miro looked at her, unsure whether she would go too far indulging her. “I shouldn’t tell you this because you aren’t allowed to know this, but…”

Yui crawled up beside the maiden, her hands splayed upon the stone floor, her body aching to feel some relief against Miro’s warm embrace, but she held back. She had been touched maybe twice by someone else in the short life she could remember, once by the piercer who poked holes into her earlobes, and once by the physician to determine whether she was sick. She wasn’t sure why, but she held back her desire for human touch at the moment of distress, and stayed in her place, kneeling on the floor beside Miro.

Miro continued in a hushed voice, the explosions outside subduing her in an odd way. “The prince launched a campaign against us.”

“Who?”

Miro shook her head. “Prince Reiji.”

Yui hadn’t heard of this particular prince. Though her knowledge about the outside world was sparse, she did know a basic understanding of what it resembled in the human realm, having an access to folk tales and mostly they were enough to have a general idea about the outside. No details were pared to her though. It was like studying history by reading the Grimm stories.

“What does he want?”

“He recently rose to power because of his tussle with the vampire king-”

Yui drew back. “I thought they were fiction.”

Miro covered her mouth, suddenly realising what she was doing. “I shouldn’t have said anything. You’re not allowed to know this.”

“What do you mean?” Yui’s own tears sprang forth from her eyes. “We’re going to die here anyway.”

Miro tried to comfort her as much as possible. “The king will lead his special troops here, we would have enough time to survive in here, Eve. Have faith-”

“No.” The word was a whisper inside her throat, barely audible to Miro. “We’ll die, Miro. You might as well tell me who is responsible for this so that I may stay peaceful in my grave.”

At this point, Miro extended out a hand towards her. Yui stared into her palm, tears blurring her vision, her hands clutching the ends of her cape. “What are you doing?”

Miro offered her a pitiful gaze before saying, “I won’t tell if you won’t.”

Yui felt her shoulders shudder as she curled up into her embrace, clutching her best friend tightly as she sobbed. “This shouldn’t happen,” she said in between her tears, “Nobody should be put through this.”

Miro’s touch was soft and careful caressing through Yui’s golden hair. Human touch was comforting. It did not chase away the dread in her heart, but it did make her feel some sense of security in her disturbed mind. There was something calming about the feeling of her arms around her trembling self. They could hear the shuffling of feet outside, a bang over the door alerting them of the soldiers coming towards the chamber, as Yui was quickly shoved inside her cupboard by Miro. Yui cried, her hands holding onto the girl as Miro kept on repeating, “Whatever happens to me, don’t look out. Don’t let yourself be seen and you will be fine, my Eve.”

Yui smothered her crying into her pillows, as the shrine maiden closed the cupboard door shut.

It took three bangs to open the door.

They had hugely underestimated the power of the army that was attacking them, because a slew of people rushed into the room, all buff soldiers by the sound of their heavy shoes. Yui still didn’t understand how they had beaten the door down in three strikes, but she couldn’t give the thought much consideration, for the cupboard door opened just a crack to give her a sense of what was happening. Scared of making a noise and attracting attention, she squeezed into the corner of her shelf in order to remain unnoticed.

These men were huge. About eight feet tall. With broad shoulders and biceps twice the size of her thighs. They were wearing silver and gold armour that were curiously mismatched, not in accordance with a theme or uniformity but just… there. As though numerous soldiers from different sections and kingdoms had come together and were pretending to be an army. They had already gotten Miro tied up, on all her fours, and one of them was removing his armour for some reason. She was begging for them not to do anything to her, as they started stripping her off.

Yui’s pupils dilated in fear.

Everything blurred out, and the only thing she could hear were Miro’s desperate cries as one of the humungous men shifted in between her legs, and started pumping his pelvis into them furiously. His hands went into her robes, tearing it to reveal her breasts, and he palmed her flesh into his hands before bending down and licking her nipples, nibbling on them slightly. His thrusts were frantic, his hips pounding into the between of her thighs, as he ripped the robes off of her, leaving her stark naked and trembling with cold and fear. She was crying, muttering prayers that were mere gibberish at this point, since there wasn’t anything that would save her from what she was about to experience.

Apparently that wasn’t enough and the others joined in.

The soldier in between her thighs was quickly spent as he left her body to be abused by the others. Yui didn’t know what was happening. She was scared. She wasn’t taught about what they were doing. She wanted to curl up and cry. But she was only able to hide behind, shut her eyes to avoid looking at her best friend in pain.

She rolled over to hide herself beneath her bedsheets, burying her face into a pillow as she heard the cries of her friend becoming distant. They were dragging her out. She wanted to go and save her, but her limbs were stiff and did not move. Her fear kept her captive.

She didn’t know when sleep took hold of her. Maybe she was too tired of the distress that she fell into blissful lack of consciousness. What were they doing to Miro? Were they trying to murder her? But it seemed like an awful way to murder someone, giving them so much pain before they die. Death wasn’t something discussed very well within the walls, among other things.

She once did see Father Andrew collapse on his knees and stop moving, and that was the time when Lord Seiji told her that no one is permanent in the world, everybody is going to leave their flesh to have their souls join into the Holy Being. She had heard that there were ways to make death come faster, but she was told they were sins and that every life was precious.

Why didn’t these soldiers consider her friend’s life as holy? Why did they discard her off as a piece of meat?

Her nightmares finally woke her up, as she looked through the little crack in her cupboard. Nobody was here anymore. Judging by the soft sunlight that filtered in through her skylight, she estimated the time to be just after dawn. There were no shuffling of feet, no banging of explosives and no shouts of fear coming through the halls.

She opened the cupboard door just to be sure.

She was right.

Maybe the army had left. She needed to find the others as soon as possible and rescue Miro. There was no way she was going to leave her friend to her fate.

She stumbled across her room and skipped over her fallen chamber doors. There were ashes and blood and body parts scattered everywhere. The grey cobblestone outside the castle had been turned a deep red in spots. Her feet were unsteady as she paced through the labyrinthine corridors, her toes jabbing into shattered glass pieces as she managed to walk through rows of dead bodies of her beloved priests and priestesses lying around.

She tripped over a body, her hands slamming into a pile of intestines, her white dress splashed by a pool of congealed red blood. Her vision blurred with tears as she saw her priestess Amaya lying on the floor in front of her. Something broke inside her heart.

Her senses dulled as she found herself turning Amaya’s corpse, her fingers digging into her cold body, holding her close to her own trembling body.

She heard something shuffle in her periphery. Freezing in her position, she looked at her right, the light of the dawn washing the Garden of Eden into a heavenly light, as she saw a soldier with a winged helmet stare at her for a long moment of time, before climbing the steps pf the castle’s entrance.

Would running do any good? Yui knew it wouldn’t Even with armour on, the soldier would catch up to her in no time. There was no guarantee that she would escape out alive. Polluted as she was right now, she wouldn’t just go down like a helpless animal.

The soldier now walked in front of her, taking off his helmet, his shocking red hair messed up on his head, piercing green eyes shining against the morning light. Yui looked beyond him, and in the distance saw the Tree of the World rotting away.

The soldier’s voice was strangely deep and almost musical, as he cocked his head towards her.

“Oh lord and father, my sins will be punished by you on the Judgement Day.”

Her eyes closed as she continued rambling nonsensical prayers. Was this what Miro went through? Seeking peace in God in her final moments?

She felt a hand grab her hair as she was pulled off from Amaya’s body, and the next thing she knew was the sting of sharp teeth piercing deep into her flesh and cold breath on her shoulder.

She was doomed.


	3. Chapter 3

The castle was situated in the human world, for all of the slaves and free folk to see. Some stood at the entrance gates as the princes came in, riding on their white stallions, racing to the gates, as the captain of Eden’s army was dragged behind Raijin, Ayato’s horse. The free folk scrammed as soon as they crossed the entrance gates, driven away by the palace guards. The captain had already stopped breathing. His limbs were torn out from their sockets, dangling by the threadbare ligaments that threatened to snap at any moment. It wouldn’t matter much, because he’d already be dead.

Ayato took off his winged helmet, latching it onto the back of his armour, and climbed down his horse. His gloved hand patted the mane of the horse, as it gave a satisfied neigh, leaning into his touch.

Subaru followed suit, his own spiked helmet coming off and being latched to his back plate. White locks flew free in the warm breeze, and had there not been a rotting corpse behind him, he would have seemed to be the proverbial prince from the fairy tales. But he had the additional title of Commander in front of his name, so it matched his image well.

Ayato’s name, however, evoked the sole image of violence and brutality. He didn’t just seem to fit in with the gore behind him, he defined it. The fear that settled quietly into the free folks' hearts as he casually lifted his lashes to stare at them while they scurried away was justified. Ayato was unpredictable. He had gone to plunder the far off kingdoms and returned with the blood of an innocent religious centre and city of knowledge on his hands.

They started walking casually towards the castle, their swords dangling on their hips as they moved.

Subaru smiled slightly at his brother. “Thought of what to say to Reiji?”

Ayato shrugged. “I’m pretty sure he’d be thrilled to have a city razed to ground. He loved the input Eden had in science.” His tone dripped in sarcasm.

Subaru cocked his head, squinting at him. “So what are you expecting from the mama bear?”

Ayato laughed. “He’d slap me,” he held up three fingers, lowering each as he went through his list, “He’d probably punch me, or I’d get a nice ass whopping.”

“You look oddly excited about it,” Subaru commented.

“What can I say, pissing him off makes me happy.” Ayato mocked a serious look. “Maybe this time he’d direct his anger at Shu instead. As he always does.”

Subaru rolled his eyes. “What did you get from there? I’m sure apart from the research Reiji wanted, there must have been treasuries in the city that funded such an institution.”

“Nope. Unfortunately the little treasury we found would sustain our army for about a week.”

Subaru’s eyes widened. “So, you’re saying we did it all for nothing?”

Ayato shrugged. “Not exactly, we’ve had some nice blood slaves. And the support of the demonfolk now that we’ve attacked the epicentre of the free folk. It won’t be long before we imprison everyone…” They reached the stairs of the castle, and from his point of view, Subaru could actually see Reiji’s troubled face. He was pacing back and forth in the hall, and immediately stopped as soon as he saw both of them. Ayato breathed hard, knowing that it couldn’t end up well, the way Reiji had just placed his glasses away in his pocket, his hands behind his back, his posture straight to the point of physically hurting.

“Would you tell your old woman to make some salve for me?” Ayato jested, walking painfully slowly towards Reiji, his boots heavy so that they made a sound every time he stepped forward, something Reiji absolutely disliked. Subaru was forced to walk at the same pace. “I would personally make sure Reiji whips you a thousand times more,” Subaru seethed.

“Fuck you too, Subaru,” Ayato gritted his teeth, and held his hands at his back as Reiji came forward, inspecting them both with an eye of scrutiny.

“Whose idea was it to storm into Eden?” Typical Reiji. Jumping into the meat of the matter rather than wasting time in worthless pleasantries. Ayato dared to smirk, before being caught by Reiji, after which he promptly bowed his head. Subaru tried to lift the tension. “Nice to meet you too, Reiji. I heard you sent troops for us while we were running low. It was a nice gesture.”

Reiji smiled coldly at Subaru before punching him straight into his gut. The blow knocked the air out of his lungs, as Subaru struggled to cough, Ayato looked at him wide eyed before noticing Reiji look at him again. He lowered his gaze, ready to face what would happen to him once Reiji got to know it was Ayato who rushed into Eden without thinking.

“I had only ordered you to retrieve the research from the Garden, and you burned it down.” Reiji pinched the bridge of his nose. “Ayato, was it your call?”

“Technically yeah-” Subaru started before another hard blow hit him in the stomach.

“Have you no manners, Subaru?” Reiji boiled. "I am talking to your elder brother, right? Or are you as dense as he is?" Ayato was reminded of the megane’s habit of drinking tea and stifled a laugh into his fist.

“What’s so funny, Ayato?” Reiji removed his glove. That only meant one thing. Ayato knew he was getting whooped even before the blow landed across his face. His cheek stung, burning up inside his skin. He stared down, refusing to meet his eyes with his elder brother.

“This is what rotten kids are,” Reiji went on, harping about his superior manners and how Ayato and Subaru were cursed with ill equipped mothers with deplorable parenting skills. Ayato tuned him out, focussing rather on the pattern of his laced up boots. He wanted someone to patch a lion onto them.

“Do you understand?” Reiji asked, stomping his foot on the ground.

“Sir yes sir!” both parrotted before Reiji gave them a wave of his hand, dismissing him.

Ayato dared to raise a question. “Hey meg- I mean Reiji, who would get the Eve? I’ve been dying to taste her blood-”

Reiji squinted his pink eyes at him. “Retire to your bedchambers, we will have this discussion later in the evening.”

Reiji methodically walked off, and Ayato wanted to snap him in half as he watched him withdraw into the dark.

Subaru smacked the back of his head.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“For being an insufferable bastard.” Subaru walked off to the spiral staircase, climbing to his own room.

Ayato pouted at his brother, rubbing the back of his head. He retreated to the stairs, his steps heavy as he entered his room, the window of the room closed shut in front of him.

He walked softly towards the window, drawing the blinds and opening the glass doors, watching silently as the army was returning to the barracks in the distance, and the slew of prisoners of war captured had just entered the castle. They were all bound in chains, their necks bound in iron collars, their hands locked in cuffs. Ayato noticed someone familiar, a splash of lavender among the rest of the crowd. The woman raised her head towards the window, and smiled directly at him.

Ayato shook his head, not believing his eyes. As he looked closer, the woman was gone, and all he could see was hordes of human folk bound in chains, wearing identical white garments, being directed by the gargoyles into the dungeons below the castle.

Why did he just see that bitch again? It was impossible. He’d killed her with his own hands…

“Ayato sama?” A slave knocked at his door, making him jump.

“What the hell?” he looked at the girl, her eyes trained at the ground, her hands holding a set of his formal clothes. “What is this?”

The girl didn’t look up. “Reiji sama sent for me to fetch these for you.”

Ayato came closer, his expression unreadable. He snatched his clothes from her, and threw them back on his bed, staring down at the girl. “When is the tableware otaku going to call for us?”

The girl seemed determined to stare down at her ragged shoes. “He told me it wouldn’t be before the eighth hour.”

Ayato leaned over the door frame, watching the girl with intent. Finally, the tension dissolved as he dismissed her with the wave of his hand. The girl seemed to be relieved as she turned around, running along the corridor, disappearing in the distance.

Ayato looked back at the window, watching the last of the captives walk down the dungeons. He saw the brief splash of blond hair before the sun dipped into the horizon.

Ayato smiled.  _ The long night has now begun. _

* * *

Yui’s heart started beating furiously, heating her body up as the guard stopped her. The strange goblin-like creature clasped an iron collar around her neck. Her neck should have had a bite mark there, but it was pristine and unmarred by fangs. It was weird. She knew someone had bitten her before she lost her consciousness and woke up in the bogey carrying the captives of the city of Eden. Many, in hushed voices, discussed the presence of the Eve of Eden among them. Some blamed her for their fate. Some empathised with her. She didn’t know what to expect from them, though, so she kept her mouth shut and did not interact with any of them.

Yui stared at the gargoyle. “What is this for?” The girl pointed at her collar, her voice coming out hoarse. She must have cried a lot in her sleep, since her throat seemed scratchy. Her cuffs jingled on her hands as she wiped off the sweat from her forehead.

The gargoyle managed to mutter out, “The prince wants attendance.” His voice was weirdly deep. Almost as though he was from another plane of existence.

But then, maybe he was.

The gargoyle averted his gaze, whistling at a lad. The boy was barely fifteen, dressed in an immaculate white shirt and black trousers, with an obnoxious amount of frills. It reminded her of the Victorian dresses she saw in the portraits hung in the study of Lord Seiji. The boy looked at her, before gently taking her hand and kissing it. “My pleasure to meet the lady,” he said, the sweetest smile on his face. She blushed, but composed herself. “Likewise,” she didn’t have the heart to speak anymore. Her energy was spent, and she had seen enough horrors to expect anything good done to her.

The boy let go of her hand. His freckled skin tinged with red under the warm light of the lamp overhead. “I must ask you to accompany me to the main hall, our princes will be waiting for you there.”

She looked towards the castle. Not unlike her own home at Eden, but with an utter lack of crowd bustling with monks, abbots, priests and sages rushing about their routine.Her ears already missed the hushed discussions that happened in the hallway leading up to her bedchambers, the monks always giving her a sympathetic smile when she slithered away from their company. Her heart was now crying for help as a dull pain resounded in her chest.

“Is there any problem, Miss?” the boy’s auburn hair shifted slightly, revealing a burn scar below his hairline. Yui tried not to make him aware that she noticed it. “Sorry, I was just zoning out a bit.”

The boy smiled. “You use a very peculiar language to express what you feel,” he remarked. “Shall we?”

Yui stood a bit straighter, mimicking his posture. “Sure.”

The boy walked towards the castle entrance, and Yui followed closely behind. The walk to the castle was slow and torturous, so Yui decided to fill it with meaningless conversation instead. “You look too young to be hanging around in a castle like this,” she remarked.

The boy smiled at her, before tilting his head. “I had no choice. I was bought as a slave at seven years old, and I think my home was way worse than what this castle is right now.”

Bought? Slave? “So, what exactly do you do as a… slave?”

“You’re a peculiar one, Eve,” he said, chuckling, not maintaining eye contact, “I do chores, call the princes for their assemblies, sometimes I deliver messages to the barracks. Slaves have a multitude of things to do here.”

Yui nodded in approval. “These princes you talk about…”

The boy stiffened a bit, but kept walking. “You’re going to meet them soon. I’m sure all your queries will be answered by them.”

Despite being curt and professional to her, he gives her a humble curtsey, before leading her to the main hall, where a tall figure stood imposing, back straighter than the pillars at her temple. He had a pair of glasses resting on his slender nose, she noticed as she walked closer, and a pair of striking pale magenta eyes. He had his hands at his back, his expression crisp and business like while he scrutinised her. She wasn’t used to being ogled at like that, and felt a red burning sensation creep up inside her skin. His plum purple hair flopped over his forehead, one chunk of his bangs stuck behind his metal spectacle frame in an anomalous fashion. He towered over her, his figure looming over her petite frame. 

The slave gave the strange man a low curtsey, and bade him goodnight. Reiji blinked at him as he rushed off away from the castle.

“I think we should start with names,” the man said, wringing his hands. Yui felt a strange pain in her heart as she felt his hot gaze glare over her. “My name is Sakamaki Reiji. Pardon my brothers for the moment, they are utterly useless and do not know what the meaning of a summoning is.”

Yui tucked a stray strand away from her face behind her ear. “I understand.”

Reiji cocked his head, as though in expectation for something.

Yui realised too late. “Oh, I… I am Komori Yui, the Eve of Eden and the High Priestess in the Temple of Ar’aa.”

The man crossed his arms across his chest, the frills on his undershirt snagging up on his cuffs. “You are no longer the holder of that title.”

Yui bit the inside of her cheek. “Of course, all thanks to your army.”

Something flashed behind his eyes, rage perhaps. Nevertheless, he buried it beneath a stoic expression. “You might want to watch your tongue amongst our presence,  _ Eve _ .” The way he uttered her title was downright insulting. “I might let your insufferable attitude fly past me, but beware of my brothers, they aren’t as civil as I am.”

She nodded, as somebody walked languishly from the stairway to the centre of the entrance hall, flashing right before her eyes.

“Took you long enough, you good for nothing.” There was spite evident beneath Reiji’s voice, as she saw the tall man linger close towards them. He had strange dirty blond hair, very different from her own hair, that was almost a golden colour. The man had strange cornflower blue eyes.

“This is Sakamaki Shu, he is the first born.”

There was no way the blond was the first born. He looked tired, with bags under his eyes and a hazy look. He was nonetheless dressed immaculately with a white undershirt, a blue tuxedo and a cape that hung over his shoulders. He adjusted himself a bit, and looked at Reiji. “I came here because you said this was the Eve that Ayato captured.”

“Ah, Oresama is pleased that he is being discussed in good spirits behind his back.” A deep voice echoed inside the hall.

Both the men groaned in exasperation. “Ayato, come out if you want to, no need to be theatrical,” Reiji said, pushing his glasses back.

Yui widened her eyes in horror as this Ayato strolled in, appearing at the end of the hallway, his walk uncaring and his posture not sterile and formal like Reiji’s. She saw the blond roll his eyes at him.

Ayato stepped into her field of vision, scrutinizing her as he widened his eyes at her as well. “I didn’t know you were the Eve of Eden, Chichinashi.”

Yui crossed her eyebrows, knowing that she had in fact seen his shocking red hair somewhere. He raised a hand to scratch the nape of his neck, his odd tie knotted over his neck and snuggled into his undershirt, that had been left open to his midchest. Everybody else looked fairly formal, but Ayato stood out as a sore thumb in his devil-may-care fashion sense. She was reminded of the sharp, searing pain that bore deep into her shoulder that she experienced just before passing out. Her expression changed at the realisation that he’d just called her titless.

Reiji turned towards Ayato, suddenly intrigued. “How do you know her? Explain, Ayato.”

Ayato shrugged. “I took a sip from her.”

Yui felt cold hands wrap around her shoulder, slipping her cape off to expose her skin, the only place where her bandages had come off. She jumped in her place, as a deep, sultry voice announced, “I do not see any marks here, Ayato, are you sure you bit her?”

Ayato looked at her like she was a piece of meat. “She sprouted like a fountain as soon as my fangs found her skin, are you saying Oresama’s fangs are not good enough to leave a mark, Laito?”

She snapped forward, turning away from Ayato to face the red headed, green eyed person that touched her. He had hair that was a bit darker that Ayato, probably he was his brother. The rest, she was not sure. This Laito was perhaps pretty touchy, because he did not hesitate to take her hand and observe her silky bandages. “Oh, maybe the little bitch is a prude after all, not skin has been exposed for our entertainment.”

Yui snatched her hand back. “Saying something like that…”

“Teddy and I also want a taste of the maiden,” a squeaky voice announced, as she felt something wet on her ear. She stumbled on her feet, as she saw the lavender haired boy look down at her, an amused smile on his face. His outfit was obnoxiously layered with frills. He had a pretty silver brooch that adorned his sky blue jacket. A little plush bear was in his left arm, wearing a gruesome eyepatch. The boy appeared to enjoy her discomfort.

“Kanato,” Reiji warned the boy, glaring at him with suppressed fury. “Do not treat our guests like that.”

Ayato threw a hand, signifying that he was done with everything. “Yeah, you do not touch Oresama’s property like that. Oresama saw her first, so Oresama is going to be her first everything.”

Her eyes fell upon another silhouette in the distance of the hallway. Another character stood imposing behind the stairs, looking at Ayato with quiet fury in his eyes. He resembled a dove, with his stark pale complexion and his platinum blond hair.

“I just don’t like that you Oresama-Oresama yourself,” he interjected.

Yui saw Ayato turn around and glare at the man with a silenced fury of his own, growling through clenched teeth, “I will kill you, you rage fueled maniac.”

Reiji stopped the fight from brewing further. “Stop this, both of you, can’t you see this young woman was in the middle of saying something?”

The white haired man pouted at Ayato, who appeared to find his immature reaction funny. She thought that out of the six brothers, they both somehow gelled the most.

“I hope you pardon this interruption by Subaru, Miss Komori,” Reiji glared at the boy standing away from them, “He has been brought up by a lady not in control of her mental well being.”

She saw Subaru clench his jaw at Reiji but did not see any further reaction from him. Perhaps he was too respectful of his elder brother to raise any question or displeasure against him.

Reiji huffed. “Now that we all have assembled, we must make sure that she ends up in hands of someone worthy.”

“Someone worthy, you say, Reiji,” Laito glared down at her trembling form. “My spies provided vital information about Eden so that Subaru and Ayato could attack it easily.”

“Not at all! Oresama captured her  _ after  _ the attack, thus Oresama is the one that should be getting Chichinashi’s rights.” Ayato crossed his arms across his chest.

Shu yawned. “I just want to sleep.”

“But I gave you directions by using magic as well,” Kanaot blurted out, his expression displeased.

“You should have tried to predict who would get the girl’s rights first,” Subaru remarked, appearing nonchalant. Kanato started blubbering with tears.

“Well,” Reiji stated in a tone that was far from pleasant, “We must let the lady decide her fate. We can at least give her this freedom so that she doesn’t blame us when she is ultimately met with her fate of being slaughtered by one of us.”

Shu interjected, “Didn’t that person tell us not to kill her? To keep her as an insurance against further conquests?”

Reiji looked at him calmly, flitting his gaze periodically between Yui’s form on the floor and the blond who had now made himself comfortable on a couch beside them, an arm behind his neck as he rested casually and closed his eyes. “Did he?”

Shu yawned. “Whatever you see fit. I do not have any interest in her.”

Reiji looked at her again, his eyes narrowed. “I would give you the freedom to choose any one of us.”

“I object.” Laito, Ayato and Kanato said together, each sounding annoyed and revolted.

“I did not ask for your esteemed opinion,” Reiji quickly shut down every one of them. Turning towards Yui, he continued, “I hope you choose wisely, for this is not something you can pass through without getting hurt or manhandled. We are creatures of the night, and we are enticed by blood and violence. To complain that you have been dealt a bad hand will be irresponsible on your part, since it’s obvious that you have been given full control of your choice.”

Her mouth felt dry, and she forced herself to remain calm. “I think I’m understanding my position here, Reiji san,” she said, her heart beating faster as she admitted, “I’m a prisoner of war, and as such, have no right upon myself to object to your treatment of me whatsoever…” She trailed off, her speech hitching up in a couple of sobs, before she conducted herself, and continued, “Whoever I choose will have rights to my blood?”

“Precisely,” Reiji appeared to be unfazed by her snivelling, “Though it’s unlikely that we will stop there.”

He was being point-blank honest with her.

“Then, I choose…” she looked around at the six vampires, already looking anxious at the prospect of tasting her blood.

When she froze, unable to think, her mind running into a blank, Ayato thundered at her, asking, “What’s taking you so long, Chichinashi?”

“A-Ayato kun,” Yui blurted out.

Laito whistled, turning around to hide his embarrassment. Shu slapped his forehead, as though not expecting this. Subaru’s eyes widened, and he kicked off a chunk of the wall in fury. Kanato started whispering something into Teddy's ear.

Yui squared up her shoulders. “I choose… Ayato kun.”

Reiji appeared uncomfortable, looking at Ayato, who smiled back, flashing his fangs at him. “Excellent choice.”

Why was everyone acting like it was a horrible decision? Even though she couldn’t really judge any of them on the basis of a minute meet n greet, it wasn’t like she was going to benefit from choosing any other person.

They were all going to suck her blood anyway.

“Well then,” Reiji instructed Ayato, “You should mark her.”

The collar around her neck seemed to tighten like a noose. Ayato stalked her in a predatory stance, his lips opening a bit, his eyes struck with wonder as he picked her up, her thin and frail body leaning into his cold automatically. She’d read in her stories that vampires often tempted their victims by their charm. Was that what she experienced in the brief moment of despair?

She didn’t have time to think, as two sharp fangs bored deep into her flesh, making her body jerk with the intense amount of pain that seemed to flow through her system, effectively paralysing it. His mouth latched onto her shoulder, his hands holding her elbows, as she felt her knees weaken, the pain dulling a bit, her eyes rolling back, her scream buried in the back of her throat. It was all too surreal and too sensitive, but she had no way of making anyone aware of her plight, as the vampire kept on taking her blood, his groans echoing inside her chest.

“That’s enough,” Reiji said, and even his voice was all too loud against Yui’s sensitive ears.

Ayato didn’t pay heed to him, and wrapped his hand around her belly, trapping her body against his iron grip.

“Ayato.” The word was a warning. Yui felt herself descend deeper, deeper…

Until he was ripped away from her.

“What the hell,” Ayato said, his mouth now stained at the corner with a trail of fresh blood. Shu had pulled them apart, as Yui heaved, her breath noisy and shallow. Her chest felt as though it would burst. She looked over at the eldest Sakamaki, his blue eyes staring down at her in indifference. Her hands tried to push her body up, and failed, as she collapsed under her own weight.

“Oops,” he said, and skipped over Ayato’s body, to lean against the couch.

“You lazy piece of horse shit,” Ayato wiped the bloodstain on the sleeve of his shirt. “I will kill you.”

Shu smiled, and drifted off to sleep, softly snoring.

Reiji squared his shoulders. “Well, then, I will show you your chambers.” Turning to his brothers, he said, “You all are dismissed.”

Yui looked up at Ayato, who smiled at her in a sadistic fashion, and mouthed something at her.

Her eyes widened.

_ Welcome to your nightmare, Eve. _

She staggered as Reiji pulled her up, her dress now stained with blood and her silk bandages ripped away completely from her shoulder. She paused to look at Ayato’s retreating figure yet again, wondering whether she had made a bad choice after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.


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